Can body notching and folding machine



Dec. 7, 1965 E; LAXO 3,221,691

CAN BODY NOTCHING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

E D LAXO ATTOR N EY Dec. 7, 1965 LAXQ 3,221,691

CAN BODY NOTCHING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Haw- INVENTOR. FIE-5 ED LAXO Qwa M lg ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,221,691 CAN BODY NOTCHING AND FOLDING MACHINE Ed Laxo, Hayward, Calif.; Thelma E. Laxo, 27690 Orlando Ave., Hayward, Calif., executrix of said Ed Laxo,

deceased, assignor to Thelma E. Laxo Filed May 3, 1962, Ser. No. 192,270 4 Claims. (Cl. 113115) This invention relates to a can body notching and folding machine and, more particularly, to a slide mechanism for the notching and folding station of a can body making machine.

In the manufacture of metal cans, fiat metal blanks are moved intermittently along a feed rail to a series of machine stations at which various operations are performed. For example, at one station the can body blanks may be notched and slit to provide clearance at the junction of the can body side seam and the double end seam which is formed when the cover is applied to the can body. Also, such machines may perform a folding operation wherein the opposite edges of the blank are folded to form hooks which are interlocked in formation of theside seams. Desirably, both the notching and slitting operation and the folding operation are performed by slide-type mechanisms because of the close control that can be maintained over the motion thereof. However, in order to avoid scoring or galling of the slide or slideways, provision must be made for a certain amount of clearance and such clearance inevitably results in a certain amount of play which renders the slide susceptible to deviation from its desired path of motion. Particularly in the notching and slitting mechanism the degree of control over the path of motion is directly reflected in the quality of production.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a notching and folding station Slide that is easily adjusted to follow a desired path of motion.

It is a further object of this invention to provide notching and folding station slides which are easily lubricated and which are dependable in operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a notching and folding station slide that does not gall and score and which can be set to a very close tolerance.

In carrying out this invention, there is provided a slide mounted for movement between opposite sides of an acoommodating slideway. One of the two members has a V-groove and the other member has a complementary longitudinal extension so that they mate in a tongue and groove association. Disposed between the groove and the extension is a V-shaped roller bearing raceway which greatly reduces friction between the members. The slideway and slide can be adjusted with extremely close tolerance by means of a wedge member which may be moved inward at fine increments to force the sides of the slideway inward toward the slide until the roller bearing raceway is snugly confined. When the sides of the slideway are properly located with respect to the slide accommodated therebetween, the slideway side may be tightly and securely clamped into place.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the specification following when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one side of a can body making machine showing the various machine stations forming a part of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation of the roller bearing raceway forming a part of the slide means of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

3,221,691 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 FIG. 5 is a horizontal section view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings with greater particularity, the can 'body making machine of this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a plurality of machine operating stations 12, 14 and 16 at which a progressive series of operations may be performed upon can body blanks. For example, station 12 may be a blanking station wherein a tongue for key-opened cans is formed, and stations 14 and 16 may comprise a notching and slitting station and a folding station, respectively. The particular dies or folding mechanisms, indicated generally at 17 (FIG. 2) by means of which these operations are accomplished do not form a part of this invention and will not be described herein. It is only essential to note that each of these operations is conducted at the appropriate station 12, 14 and 16 by suitable devices carried on individual slides 18, 18 and 18" slide 18 mounted for vertical reciprocation as by a driven connecting rod 19 (FIG. 2), on the machine frame 20 so that as can bodies are fed along the feed rail 22 by appropriate means (not shown) moving them through increments from station to station each cutting or folding device will move through a vertical reciprocal stroke to perform its operation on the can body and return. The particular guide means for each slide constitutes a significant feature of this invention and will now be described.

The slideway within which each slide is accommodated comprises a pair of opposing gibs 24 which are clamped to the frame of the machine 11 by means of cap screws 26. On both sides of each slide there is formed a V- groove 28 and on the adjacent side of the accommodating gib 24 there is a V-shaped vertical extension 30. arranged so that the two elements form a sort of tongue and groove association. Interposed between the male and female complementary slide members is a V-shaped raceway 32 having in each leg thereof a vertical row of rectangular holes 34 which rotatably carry a series of roller bearings 36 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The roller bearing cage or raceway 32 is free to move between the slide and slideway male and female members so that, as the slide moves through a stroke of, say one inch, the raceway will move through a distance of one-half inch. In order to prevent the roller bearing cage from working its way out of the space between the slide and the slideway, a recess 38 (FIG. 4) is machined into the back edge of the raceway to accommodate a pin 40 (FIG. 5) which is secured in a hole 42 provided therefor in the slide by means of a threaded end 46 which engages a correspondingly tapped coun-terbore 44 in the hole that receives the pin. The recess 38 is long enough to permit full movement of the raceway but engagement of the pin with-the extremities of the recess prevent the raceway from moving substantially beyond its normal stroke.

Adjustment of the tolerance between the male and female members 30 and 28 of the slide and slideway is permitted by virtue of the fact that the cap screws 26 which clamp the gib 24 to the frame of the machine are received in elongated slots 48 extending through the gib so that when the cap screw is loosened, the gib 24 may be moved a limited amount toward and away from the slide 18 in order to adjust the size of the opening within which the roller bearings 36 are received. 'The adjustment is effected by means of pin 50 (FIG. 5) slidably received in an accommodating hole 52 in the gib. The end of the pin is cut off at an angle in the order of 45 degrees to form a wedging surface 54 which engages an adjacent edge 56 of the machine frame 20. In a counterbore 58 in the gib 24 a set screw 60 is threadedly received to engage against the end of the adjustment pin so that as the set screw is threaded inwardly, the adjustment pin 50 is moved axially against the frame edge 56 causing transverse movement of the gib 24 toward the slide. When the adjustment is effected so that the roller bearings 36 are snugly contained between the V-shaped male and female members 30 and 28 of the slide 18 and .gib and the slide and gib are accurately aligned thereby,

the cap screw 26 is tightened to clamp the gib securely in place. 'When it is desired to replace the roller bearings 36, the cap screw 26 may be loosened and the set screw 60 withdrawn to permit enough play that the raceway 32 may be readily withdrawn upon removal of the stroke limiting pin 40. Then, when the new bearings have been placed the raceway is inserted between the complementary male and female members 30 and 28; the pin 40 is inserted and threaded in place in order to restrict movement of the roller bearing cage 32; the wedge pin 50 is urged inward by set screw 60 until the roller bearings are snugly contained; and then the cap screw 24 is tightened to clamp the gib 24 in place.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that modification and changes therein may be made by those skilled at the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. A can body making machine comprising: a machine frame, a feed rail associated with said frame and along which can body blanks are moved progressively, and at least one operating station located along said rail to which can body blanks are delivered along said rail in rapid sequence, said operating station comprising: a slideway which includes opposed side guide members releasably secured to the machine frame in spaced relationship along said rail, a slide member located between said guide members and spaced therefrom, means mounting said slide member for vertical, reciprocating movement in said slideway between said guide members, and a tool carried by said slide member for performing an operation on a can body blank carried by said feed rail, said mounting means being in the form of a pair of vertical complementary male and female V-shaped members on each of two opposite sides of the slide member and on the adjacent side guide member, a V-shaped bearing carrier interposed between each said pair of V-shaped members, a plurality of roller bearings rotatably carried in each said carrier, and adjustment means comprising a cylindrical adjustment pin having an end surface thereof inclined with the pin axis, at least one of said side guide members being formed with a generally horizontal hole extending therethrough in a direction transverse to said rail, a vertical edge of said machine frame being exposed through said hole, said pin being received in said hole with the inclined surface thereof in line engagement with said vertical machine frame edge, and means for axially moving said pin through fine increments for adjustably positioning the guide member laterally on the machine frame.

2. A can body making machine comprising: a machine frame, a feed rail associated with said frame and along which can body blanks are moved progressively, and at least one operating station located along said rail, said operating station comprising: a slideway which includes opposed side guide members releasably secured to the machine frame in spaced relationship along said rail, a slide member located between said guide members and spaced therefrom, means mounting said slide member for vertical, reciprocating movement in said slideway between said guide members, and a tool carried by said slide member for performing an operation on a can body blank carried by said feed rail, said mounting means being in the form of a pair of vertical complementary male and female V-shaped members on each of two opposite sides of the slide member and on the adjacent side guide member, a plurality of roller bearings interposed between each said pair of V-shaped members, and adjustment means operable in a direction transverse to said rail to move said side guide members toward and away from each other, said adjustment means comprising an adjustment pin having an end surface thereof inclined with the pin axis, a said side guide member being formed with a hole extending therethrough in a direction transverse to said rail, a portion of said machine frame being exposed through said hole, said pin being received in said hole with the inclined surface thereof in engagement with said machine frame portion; and means for slidably axially moving the pin through fine increments for adjustably positioning the guide member on the machine frame.

3. The machine defined by claim 2 wherein both guide members are adjustably positioned on said machine frame.

4. The machine defined by claim 2 wherein the lastmentioned means comprises a set screw threadedly engaging screw threads formed in said hole in the side guide member, the end of said set screw engaging an end of said pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,648 7/1878 Tucker 308-6 649,071 5/1900 Paull et al. 11338 1,106,571 8/1914 Lewis 3086 2,117,161 5/1938 Gallasch et al. 308-6 2,242,498 5/ 1941 Zwick 308-6 2,400,374 5/1946 Selnes 308-6 FOREIGN PATENTS 799,126 7/1958 Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

NEDWIN BERGER, Examiner. 

1. A CAN BODY MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING: A MACHINE FRAME, A FEED RAIL ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FRAME AND ALONG WHICH CAN BODY BLANKS ARE MOVED PROGRESSIVELY, AND AT LEAST ONE OPERATING STATION LOCATED ALONG SAID RAIL TO WHICH CAN BODY BLANKS ARE DELIVERED ALONG SAID RAIL IN RAPID SEQUENCE, SAID OPERATION STATION COMPRISING: A SIDEWAY WHICH INCLUDES OPPOSED SIDE GUIDE MEMBERS RELEASABLY SECURED TO THE MACHINE FRAME IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP ALONG SAID RAIL, A SLIDE MEMBER LOCATED BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEMBERS AND SPACED THEREFROM, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SLIDE MEMBER FOR VERTICAL, RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT IN SAID SIDEWAY BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEMBERS, AND A TOOL CARRIED BY SAID SLIDE MEMBER FOR PERFORMING AN OPERATION ON A CAN BODY BLANK CARRIED BY SAID FEED RAIL, SAID MOUNTING MEANS BEING IN THE FORM OF A PAIR OF VERTICAL COMPLEMENTARY MALE AND FEMALE V-SHAPED MEMBERS ON EACH OF TWO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SLIDE MEMBER AND ON THE ADJACENT SIDE GUIDE MEMBER, A V-SHAPED BEARING CARRIER INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH SAID PAIR OF V-SHAPED MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF ROLLER BEARINGS ROTATABLY CARRIED IN EACH SAID CARRIER, AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL ADJUSTMENT PIN HAVING AN END SURFACE THEREOF INCLINED WITH THE PIN AXIS, AT LEAST ONER OF SAID SIDE GUIDE MEMBERS BEING FORMED WITH A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL HOLE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO SAID RAIL, A VERTICAL EDGE OF SAID MACHINE FRAME BEING EXPOSED THROUGH SAID HOLE, SAID PIN BEING RECEIVED IN SAID HOLE WITH THE INCLINED SURFACE THEREOF IN LINE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VERTICAL MACHINE FRAME EDGE, AND MEANS FOR AXIALLY POSITIONING THE GUIDE MEMBER LATERALLY ON THE MACHINE FRAME. 